Ray’s Daily
June 14, 2022
We begin life with the world presenting itself to us as it is. Someone – our parents, teachers, analysts – hypnotizes us to “see” the world and construe it in the “right” way. These others label the world, attach names and give voices to the beings and events in it, so that thereafter, we cannot read the world in any other language or hear it saying other things to us. The task is to break the hypnotic spell, so that we become undeaf, unblind and multilingual, thereby letting the world speak to us in new voices and write all its possible meanings in the new book of our existence. Be careful in your choice of hypnotists.
Sidney Jourard
Ray’s Daily first published on June 14, 2005
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It seems that these days if you break away from the hypnotists people react as if you either have lost your mind or are the devil incarnate. Yesterday I spent some time talking to friends about the polarization that has taken place in our society. We talked about the pundits telling us that we are in a war between the social conservatives and the radical liberals. You’re either for me or you are against me, everything is black or white, if you don’t agree with me you are a danger to society, you know the drill.
The problem with all this is that it does not reflect the real world. The battle between the far right and the far left will never be won, it is a battle of the ideologues, and no one is going to change their minds. What really is going on is an attempt to draw those of us in the middle to one side or the other. It is sad that so many of us chose to stay silent rather than take an interest in what is going on, we just don’t want to be hassled by the righteous on either side.
Unfortunately when we walk away power fills the vacuum we leave behind. Power has been used to gerrymander house districts leaving only 30 or so competitive house seats in congress. Power is used to pass legislation without public debate, power is used to threaten those that disagree, power is used earmark our money for pork versus education, public safety and the like, the list goes on and on.
Lately however it appears that our fellow centrists are starting to come alive, they are concerned about the economy, they are concerned about Iraq, and they are starting to become disenchanted with what is going on. Unfortunately it may be too late. The treasury has been raided, the war has gotten out of hand and all the while we are told things are going great. Sadly our disenchantment may result in us walking away from too much, too soon. I am pretty sure that the ultra-conservatives and the radical left are not interested in our getting in the game, we would be too hard to beat with the tactics they use against each other.
OK, enough is enough. For you new folks I seldom rant and rave in the daily, I have another vehicle for doing that. None of this would have happened if I had not spent a few hours with Bob and Jim. But you know what; I really do think it is time we got involved.
~~~
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi
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A Jewish man in New York breaks his dentures. He searches around for a dental technician who will make a replacement at a reasonable price. The first quotes $300, the next $400 and the third $500, all much too expensive for him.
Then his wife, hearing of these prices says, “Well, Hymie, why don’t you speak to my nephew, Solly – he’s just qualified as a dentist and I’m sure he’ll give you a good deal.”
Hymie says, “Oy Vay . Solly is a schmuck – he’s no experience and I wouldn’t like to wear dentures he’d made.”
However, after some nagging by his wife, he goes to see Solly who says that he could make a set of dentures for $100, and he finally agrees to have the set made. After a few weeks, Solly comes up with the dentures but they don’t fit too well. Hymie takes them back a few times and Solly puts on a bit of material here and grinds off some there but they still don’t fit.
Then, for about three weeks, Solly does not see Hymie. By chance they meet in the street.
“Hello Uncle Hymie,” Solly said, “it’s good to see you – how are the dentures?”
“Solly,” he says, “let me tell you a story. For the past couple of weeks I am on a vacation in the Caribbean, fishing. One day we are out and I am fishing off the back of the boat when I hook a great big tuna, maybe 300 pounds. This very strong fish swims away from me and I’m trying to hold him but the line runs out over 200 yards and I really am struggling.”
“Then the fish turns and swims towards the boat – he’s coming at me very fast and I am frantically trying to reel in the line which falls into the boat and gets wound around my testicles. Suddenly it turns and starts to swim fast away from the boat.”
“Solly, right then for the first time, I didn’t feel your dentures!”
~~~
A bar in NYC is installing a breathalyzer. If your drunk, it advises you not to drive.
If you’re really, really drunk, it advises you not to call your old girlfriend.
~~~
Eight-year-old Sally brought her report card home from school. Her marks were good … mostly A’s and a couple of B’s. However, her teacher had written across the bottom:
“Sally is a smart little girl, but she has one fault. She talks too much in school. I have an idea I am going to try, which I think may break her of the habit.
Sally’s dad signed her report card, putting a note on the back:
“Please let me know if your idea works on Sally because I would like to try it out on her mother.”
~~~
Dig the well before you are thirsty.
Chinese proverb
~~~
The district attorney was cross-examining the murderess on the witness stand.
“And so after you had poisoned the coffee and your husband sat at the breakfast table partaking of the fatal dosage, didn’t you feel any qualms? Didn’t you feel the slightest pity for him knowing that he was about to die and was wholly unconscious of it? As you sat there…didn’t you feel for him at all?”
“Yes,” she answered. “Come to think of it…there was just a tiny moment when I sort of felt sorry for him.”
“And, when was that?”
“When he asked for the second cup.”
~~~
Dear Abby: What can I do about all the sex, nudity, bad language, and violence on my VCR?
~~~
The waitress at the upscale restaurant kept starring at the leading man every time she brought him another dinner course.
“Say, she finally said, “don’t I know you from somewhere?”
The leading actor was coy. “Possibly you’ve seen me in the movies,” he replied.
“Maybe,” she said thoughtfully. “Where do you usually sit?”
~~~
A woman sees a beautiful tennis bracelet in a jewelry store window. She goes in and asks the clerk if a small deposit will hold it until her husband does something unforgivable.
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The elderly husband and wife, both a little hard of hearing, were watching golf on TV. The husband turned to his wife of some 50 years and said, “In my next life, I’m going to be rich and play all those beautiful golf courses with their great bars and dining and dancing areas.” The wife quickly responded, “How will you be able to manage all that with your bad legs? You can barely walk!” “I said, ‘…in my next life…,'” the husband replied. “Oh,” she said. I thought you said, ‘..with my next wife…'”
~~~
Matt: I should never have introduced my fiancé’ to my rich uncle.
Jerry: Why not?
Matt: Because…. now she’s my aunt.
~~~
Morris and Isaac were constant companions. Morris was a calm laid back individual and never complained. Isaac was very nervous and always complaining about something.
One day Isaac said to Morris, “Morris how do you manage to get along with everybody?”
Morris answered, “Oh, I just never disagree with anybody.”
Isaac said, “Morris, you are a liar!”
Morris said, “I know it.”
~~~
Real confidence comes from knowing and accepting yourself—your strengths and your limitations–in contrast to depending on affirmation from others.
Judith M. Bardwick
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Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
Ray’s Daily has been sent for more than twenty years to people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@comcast.net. Back issues are posted at http://rays-daily,com/ currently there are hundreds of readers from around the world.
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